


a little hope goes a long way

by johnils (eggtarts)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, dystopian au, not the best comeback fic but ok
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-25
Updated: 2016-12-25
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:23:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9051475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eggtarts/pseuds/johnils
Summary: Nakamoto Yuta doesn't believe there's a 'little hope' in this cruel world. Mark Lee tells him to believe there is.(or that au where nakamoto yuta loves the little glints in mark's eyes)





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Toyoda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toyoda/gifts).



It's the same old boring routine every day for Nakamoto Yuta. He would wake up at 7.30am sharp, never letting him snooze his alarm in fear that if he does so, his chain of actions would be ruined. He isn't a very particular man but he likes making his coffee at 7.50am when he's done freshening up and combing neatly of his brown hair. He has to remind himself he gets only 2 cubes of sugar — no more, no less. Upon stirring his drink with one hand, his other hand is used to stuff himself with his strawberry jam toast; spread evenly and toasted to crisp. Again, he isn't particular. He happened to like his toast crisped and in strawberry jam.

By 8 am, he finishes his usual breakfast and goes to get changed into his work clothes; he usually wears his buttoned up shirt in the colour of blues because blue reminded him that in his boring office that is all dull and white, his shirt could at least remind him of the skies and ocean he could never see — places that he dreamt of going to. Neatly tucking in his shirt, he makes sure that his tie matches. Yuta doesn't know why he needed to wear one since he finds it uncomfortable but for as long as he is in the office, he _needs_ them. (It's funny how Yuta too often thinks about how a tie could reflect someone’s work or professionalism. He supposed that's one of the few things on ' _that's how the world works_ '.)

By 8.15am, Yuta is out his apartment and soon, he joined the other people of society. 

  
  
  


The train is packed to no surprise. It has always been like this especially when it comes to the morning work rush hour. Yuta managed to slip in and find himself standing between a boy, perhaps currently in college, and a mother and her son; the mother is busy on her phone, probably glancing through her growing stocks and answering many incoming messages and calls all at once while the woman's son had seemed all sullen from the lack of attention from his mother. In front of the brunette sat someone he had probably met on the street a thousand time but had no one bat an eye to the stranger. Yuta vaguely remembers people by their names but he certainly remembered the ones who have unique features.

Yuta wasn’t sure if the stranger may have known but people, the ones around him, avoided the said male like a plague — _a carrier of a disease._ The stranger does not look abnormal - he has two eyes, a nose and a mouth just like everyone else. Perhaps, it may be because the latter had a weird blonde hairstyle that stuck in all sorts of direction but the male did not dress all too weirdly either for he had worn a casual tee and jeans. But what made the male different from the others, even from Yuta himself, was that the male was a lower ranked — a Level D. 

For a moment, the brunette had been all caught up with his work and self that he forgot that the reality he had lived in was not ordinary. There were levels that are being categorized among people of the society, usually by lifestyle and the ways of dressing. There are the Level D's, such as one like the blonde-haired male that sat across him on the train. They're the lowest in the society chain. This is because the D in the Level D stands for dreamers. They're the ones who dream big and live a day without worrying about tomorrow; and they don’t have a fixed lifestyle unlike Yuta’s. They believe that if you dream hard enough, things can come true and had simply lived the day as if breaking a chain of action had not mattered to them. But that aside, Level D's have all come from the outskirt of town, the rural and backforward areas where there’s more Mother Nature around than anything. 

There were also the Level C, Level B and Level A. Level C for those with greater Conscious, whom lived in the heart of town and are often known as the free willed people who obey the laws yet have the time of their lives. And there are the Level B's people like Yuta himself. They're the believers. Level B have the tendency to believe anything or everything and often lived around town or the main city and much like Yuta, they all fall in the chain of action that they didn’t want to break. And finally, the Level A. Level Aristocrats. You rarely see them around on public transports because unlike any other rankings, they're rich. Superior. Had more freedom to do whatever and whenever.

There was never a proper government in this society, which made it easy for the Level A to control the other rankings. They've established a 'fake' government which is usually fine if the people had followed the laws then no trouble will arise. No one crosses the boundaries except for a few Level A and Level D at times. But otherwise, reality moved on in a way that Yuta could never imagine.

A crying baby brought Yuta back to his ‘reality’ and as the train signalled the stop they’re in, Yuta got himself ready for the next stop — his work. 

  
  
  


Yuta almost forgot that Christmas will be in a few days if it weren’t for his fellow colleagues who were putting up Christmas decoration in their office and an awfully cheerful Level D intern named Donghyuck who was already wishing almost everyone a ‘Merry Christmas’. Yuta included.

“Why the grumpy face, Yuyu?” Taeyong, a Level A executive and Board of Directors in Yuta’s workplace, smiled at him and offered the Level B brunette a can of coffee from the vending machine.

“I’m not grumpy, Taeyong”, Yuta sighed, heading to the direction of his cubicle with a trailing Taeyong. It has always been this way. The moment Yuta stepped in his office, Donghyuck would greet him and everyone else all too enthusiastically (and sometimes he wondered how the young intern had so much energy in him. Young blood, he supposed). Taeyong would follow, usually offering him coffee and asking him why he is so grumpy everyday and Yuta would always answer the same way.

Perhaps, Yuta was bored of this systematic chain of action. But he doesn’t question. _He doesn’t change._

  
  
  


By 6.30pm, Yuta was done with his work earlier than usual but somehow or rather, he had this odd feeling that had been bugging him for some coffee which to Yuta, was something ‘new’ and out of his chain of action. The brunette figured the feeling would go away soon if he didn’t give much thoughts to it but by the time he takes the stairs down and out of his office, his craving for coffee inevitably remained to bother him. 

Unknowingly, instead of heading towards the direction of the train station back home, Yuta’s footsteps took him to a coffee shop ‘round the corner instead; one that he had seen sometimes from his office if he had bothered to look down once in awhile from the black and white papers he stares most of his office time.

The doorbell chimed, signalling the entrance of Nakamoto Yuta to the shop. The Level B office worker is greeted by many of the shop’s staffs, most of which were of the same greeting of ‘Welcome’. Sighing, not because of the greeting but because Yuta wasn’t very much used to having or even wanting coffee when he’s off work, he gave up thinking too much unnecessary and waited in line to feed his odd craving.

The line wasn’t very long but the person in front of him was certainly taking his sweetest time in choosing his drink, causing Yuta to tap his feet impatiently at how much of his time was being taken away. Any longer and Yuta may want to give up on this odd coffee craving of his and head home while he still had the chance to fix his chain of action. 

But just as he was about to give up on waiting and take a step out of his line to head to the exit, the male before him turned around and timidly asked if he had a dollar to spare. Yuta looked at the male in front of him, now having a good look and recognizing the person in front of him was the same Level D with the crazy hair that had sat across him on his way to work this morning. Perhaps Yuta couldn’t have recognize the latter because the male had neatly tucked his messy hair under a knitted beanie. 

  
  
  


“You’re a lifesaver”, the Level D male grinned at Yuta after taking a sip from his warm drink. 

After the whole scenario in the coffee shop, Yuta had wanted to get himself home as quickly as possibly after sparing a dollar for the blonde-haired Level D and after he had gotten himself a cup of Americano for his bitter life. Never would have Yuta thought that he and the Level D would be boarding the same station back and to make it worst (aside the Level D telling him they’re from the same neighbourhood, which took Yuta by surprised but not so much later when he found out that the other male was only residing there temporarily with his far relative because of his studies), the Level D who now sat next to him kept trying to converse with him when all Yuta wanted was to plug his earbuds to his ear and listen to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and think about how terrible his life can get. (No, he wasn’t being dramatic. He had enough drama in his life especially when he knows his roommate, Johnny was waiting for him at home).

“I never got your name, Mr. Lifesaver”, the Level D mentioned out of the blue while he was talking about his dog named Hyuck, which was also named after his best friend, between his sips of hot chocolate. “Mine’s Mark. Mark Lee”, the blonde-haired male grinned and stretched out his right hand for a handshake.

Yuta glanced at the offered hand and inwardly sighed while remaining a straight expression. Fine, perhaps this time Yuta could entertain the other male because he knew that once they get out off, he wouldn’t be meeting the other male anymore because coincidence doesn’t happen to everyone.

Reaching for Mark’s offered hand, Yuta took it gently and shook the other male’s hand, noting how warm his palm is but rather thinks that it was that way because Mark had been holding his hot chocolate with both hand unlike Yuta whom liked holding his drink and pretty much everything else with his left hand. 

“The name’s Yuta. Nakamoto Yuta”, the brunette spoke softly as Mark grinned and rather shook Yuta’s hand too enthusiastically. There are glints to Mark’s eyes that Yuta can’t grasped why Mark had seemed so happy to be shaking a person’s hand. It bugged Yuta but he doesn’t question it.

Yuta retracted his hand away from Mark. Thankfully, they have reached their stop before Yuta could think about having a conversation with the other male as Yuta got off before Mark could say anything. He hoped to never see the boy with the messy blonde hair ever again.

  
  
  


The next day went completely smooth. Yuta woke up on the clock, went to his station about the same time as he usually does (and thankfully, the boy from yesterday was nowhere in sight), started his shift at work as usual with Donghyuck the intern greeting him to Taeyong offering him coffee and the little bits of office life along his day. 

Shift ended as usual and thankfully he did have any sudden craving to go get coffee after work like yesterday. What was different, however, was that once Yuta had a foot stepped out of his shower that evening when he had gotten himself home and had gotten himself dinner and his usual after-work routines done, the brunette found himself jogging to a nearby park; he doesn’t go there often and neither does Yuta jog especially once the sun has set, and he often opt to be at home with his Persian cat, being lazy with his ‘precious baby’ over Strauss’s Op 437: Emperor Waltz playing in the background. Thankfully, Johnny had to work overtime because Yuta would have been a laughing stock if Johnny knew that Yuta had ‘tried’ being productive. And God knows Johnny wouldn’t believe Yuta if the brunette had said that he ‘just felt like going out to jog’.

The park was quiet, to no surprise. It was about 9.15pm when Yuta reached the park and there were clearly less to almost no one in the park. Sighing, not understanding why he was here in the first place, Yuta walked to the middle part of the park and laid down on the grass instead of going home. Maybe he wanted a break.

The night sky was clear, at least. Yuta being productive and heading to the park wasn’t all in vain when he somewhat sees the stars above. The brunette wondered to himself on when he had last seen a clear night sky where the stars are in sight. Thankfully the night sky seemed rather clear today for Yuta to enjoy the sight above him… until a hand waved in front of his sight.

“Oh! Hello Nakamoto Yuta!” a familiar voice called his name out and he didn’t need to think twice for him to know who the latter was especially when the male’s head (and still horrible hair that was stuck in different directions) can now be seen at sight. “Never would I have thought I would find you here, Nakamoto Yuta”, the messy haired male grinned before moving to lay next to Yuta.

“Mark”, Yuta mumbled the male’s name briefly and inwardly sighed when he glanced over to look at Mark. What happen to how coincidences don’t exist?

“Oh! You remembered me!” Mark grinned and again, despite how dark their surrounding was at this time of the day, Yuta swore he could see the same glint he saw yesterday in Mark’s eyes. 

“Of course. You’re… unique”, Yuta hummed softly after and turned his gaze back to the sky.

Mark nodded and unlike before, Mark was rather less talkative. The silence remained still for a moment as both the males enjoyed the given view.

“Have you ever dreamed about space exploring before, Yuta?” Mark asked softly with his gaze still focused on the night sky.

Yuta turned to glance at Mark slightly before turning his gaze back to the starry sky. “I never dreamed about space exploring before. I don’t dream about anything big or like that in general”, Yuta responded softly.

Mark tore his gaze away from the sky to sit up and look at Yuta. “What do you mean you never dream? Is that even possible?”, the blonde-haired male blinked.

There’s a look to Mark’s face that showed how the younger male had not seemed to believe him; almost shocked but also disappointed. And Yuta didn’t know why Mark had shown this expression to him — a stranger. It somehow bothered Yuta a lot but he doesn’t question the other male about it and he tried not to think about it either.

“Well it’s not like I never dreamed before. I’m just… I’m tired of dreaming for something that would never happen. It’s tiring to lie to myself saying that things would happen when it wouldn’t so I gave up dreaming entirely and started believing more on reality itself”, Yuta explained himself as he got up and sat so he could meet in eye level with Mark.

“But what’s wrong with dreaming and having hope that things can change if you keep believing?” Mark questioned softly.

There was nothing wrong with dreaming, Yuta admitted inwardly. But he was a Level B for a reason and the same goes to how Mark is a Level D for a reason. Their beliefs would never meet. Sighing, Yuta laid back down and spoke softly, “You know, Mark. There are things that don’t just work the way we want… like how I’m a Level B and you’re a Level D. I believe in things that are already set for me, for instance, I have this chain of action that I follow every day. I believe that for as long I follow the given set of rules and chain of action, nothing else should matter. You, on the other hand… you dream of big things. Things I can’t dream of.”

“But why not? Just because you’re a Level B, doesn’t mean you can’t dream if you want to and have a little hope. It won’t harm you in any way regardless!” Mark frowned slightly before continuing. “Besides, it doesn’t hurt to have little hopes rather than none in this cruel world, no?” the blonde-haired male smiled slightly, hoping he’ll assure Yuta in a way.

Maybe Mark is right. _Maybe having a little hope wouldn’t hurt._

  
  
  


The next day and the following days after, Yuta and Mark had been constantly meeting by coincidence. At this point, Yuta don’t even bother with how ‘coincidence isn’t a thing’ as he let these coincidences be by spending time with Mark. Whether it was just by sitting side by side on the train back home with warm drinks in hand or by the convenience store nearby, having the same instant noodle-to-go, or even by meeting at the same park or elsewhere at different time of the day, Yuta lets it happen.

“You’re rarely at home nowadays”, Johnny, Yuta’s roommate, pointed out. “It’s Christmas. Spend time with your poor beloved roommate”, Johnny playfully whined and Yuta kicked the taller male in the ass after he had put his shoe on.

“Yeah, stay and be the third wheel between you and Taeil? As if I would sit through all the sap and let you two have all the fun. Besides, I have plans” Yuta tucked his shirt down and adjusted his hair for the nth time. For once in forever, Yuta was wearing something besides his office shirt and ironed pants.

“Is it a date?” Taeil joined in, having a grin to his face while Johnny linked arms with his boyfriend after putting on an antler headband he got from work.

“No, it’s not. And oh, Mr. Moon, I never knew you were this nosy”, Yuta pointed out in a joking manner. “You’re hanging out with Johnny too much. Let me know if he’s boring. I’m a good company”, Yuta laughed softly and Taeil joined in. Johnny, on the other hand, frowned.

“Go! Go on your date and leave Taeil alone.” Johnny frowned while Taeil only cooed at his boyfriend’s jealousy.

“I’ll let you know if Johnny decides to ditch me for Fruit Loops. Have fun, Yuta.” Taeil waved the brunette off before Johnny tugged his boyfriend away possessively before dismissing Yuta with a ‘Don’t come back drunk’ message.

  
  
  


The street was filled with festive lights and different christmas carols played from every corner of the street. The weather was cold and the sun was setting by now but at least Yuta had his jacket and scarf on. It wasn’t snowing yet but Yuta had read somewhere that it might snow later. He hoped he could at least see the first fall of snow soon.

“Yuta! Merry Christmassss!” a familiar voice called him out and in sight was a running Mark dressed in thick clothing. But something about the latter was different.

“You dyed your hair”, Yuta pointed out, noting the Mark’s new pink-dyed haired.

“Well that wasn’t the first thing I expect to hear but yes, I did. Is it okay?” Mark asked softly, his breath coming out as he spoke.

“Better than your messy blonde hair. And Merry Christmas to you too. It isn’t a must but I got you something as a Christmas present”, Yuta handed Mark a Christmas themed gift bag. He got the gift a few days, thinking going empty handed wasn’t something courteous to do. “I hope you like it.”

“You didn’t have to thought… But can I open it now?” Mark peeked in the gift bag.

“Mhmm, sure. Go ahead, kid.”

Mark grinned. The now pink-haired male took his present out and unwrapped it, revealing a beanie in sight.

“Oh cool! I’ve always wanted more beanies”, Mark grinned and puts in on. “Do I look nice?”

Yuta saw the same glint he has been seeing the past days from hanging out with Mark. The same one when he first exchanged contact with Mark and the same time in the park at night and many other times they were out together... It has always been the same type of glint.

“Yeah... you do” Yuta mumbled his reply, obviously distracted by the glint of Mark’s eyes.

“Oh! I got you a gift too but… later. I’ll give it to you later!” Mark hummed before gesturing Yuta. “Shall we go eat?”

  
  
  


Watching Mark eat was endearing per say. The meal the both of them ordered might have burnt a hole to Yuta’s pocket but the brunette decided that since it was Christmas, he wouldn’t mind the cost. (Especially when Mark’s eyes keeps glinting when each different food was placed in front of them and Mark had the most adorable laugh and smile after tasting each and every dishes that was served).

Currently, both Yuta and Mark were walking alongside one another to the park where they had coincidentally met before this while Mark had been telling Yuta his day and his antics with his friend Donghyuck (whom Yuta had of course heard a lot about and had it been even shocking that the same intern that greets Yuta every morning in the office happened to be Mark’s best friend).

“Hm, Yuta?” Mark called out the other male some time later after talking about his day.

“Yes?” Yuta replied briefly.

“Remember how I told you about having a little hope in the cruel world?” Mark shuffled his foot, kicking small pebbles here and there with his eyes on the ground.

“What about it?” Yuta turned to look at Mark, stopping at his track when they’ve reached the park.

“Well, here’s your Christmas gift. It’s probably nothing but I just want to say that… you’re my little hope in this cruel world. Wait- before you say anything hear me out! I’ve never had anyone who would comfortably speak to me besides Donghyuck and my family members so like… you’re very important to me. Like the little hope I kept dreaming about”, Mark looked up at Yuta as he spoke, showing the same glint in his eyes like the many times before.

Yuta stared at Mark for a moment. He then burst out laughing.

“Hey- what I said sounded funny?” Mark frowned and pursed his lips like a child throwing tantrum. 

“You really are adorable, Mark Lee.” Yuta used Mark’s full name for the first time and it caught Mark off guard as the pink-haired male flustered from the response. “But really, you could have gotten me a new tie or something but I appreciate the thought that counts”

“Well, I would have but I’m sure you have more than 10 ties of the same colour”, Mark joked.

Yuta does have the 10 ties of the same colour but Mark doesn’t need to know that. “Pft, you probably have more than 10 beanies but you still get more anyway, doesn’t that make you as equal as I am?”

“Fair point. But the thing is, you’re my little hope! You haven’t properly responded to me, Yuta!” Mark frowned slightly.

Before Yuta could respond, the first fall of snow began falling. 

“It’s snowing”, Mark pointed out, looking up at the now darken yet snowing sky, smiling at the sight as more snowflake began falling.

Yuta turned his gaze to the falling snowflakes before turning to Mark who was distracted at the moment.

  
_‘You’re my little hope in this cruel world too, Mark Lee.’_

**Author's Note:**

> this was for RedCapNakamoto !!! I wrote this for the nct secret santa fic exchange 2016 that was impromptuly held !! I did this in a rush bc my laptop was out of use and I have very bad planning skills. Hopefully you'll like this tho and I'm sorry for butchering your prompt! Merry Christmas (tho it's the 26th as I'm posting this rip). Comments and kudos are appreciated??? I miss yall.
> 
> Also, thank to my precious maria for helping me beta this !!!
> 
> twitter: j0hnils


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